2025 EBA Annual Meeting and Conference Speaker Bios
Scott I. Aaronson
Senior Vice President | Energy Security & Industry Operations
Edison Electric Institute
Scott has been with EEI since 2009 when he joined the government relations department focusing on security and several emerging technology issues, including electric grid modernization, cybersecurity policy, and telecommunications priorities. He now leads EEI's energy security and industry operations team, which supports the efforts of the nation’s investor-owned electric companies to meet demand and develop infrastructure safely, resiliently, reliably, and securely.
In addition to his role at EEI, Scott also serves as the Secretary for the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC). The ESCC is the primary liaison between senior government officials and industry leaders representing all segments of the sector. This partnership is a model for how critical infrastructure operators can work with government, yielding dramatic improvements in security and preparedness for the electric power sector and the nation.
Prior to joining EEI, Scott was a senior adviser to Members of Congress serving the 12th Congressional District of California, including former House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos. From 2001 to 2007, he served as an economic policy adviser to U.S. Senator Bill Nelson.
Scott received a Bachelor's Degree in journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder for his undergraduate studies, and a Master's Degree from The George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. He also has received continuing education in executive leadership from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. He lives on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC with his wife, two daughters, and a mutt.
Christopher J. Ayers
Executive Director
Public Staff - North Carolina Utilities Commission
Christopher J. Ayers serves as Executive Director of the North Carolina Utilities Commission Public Staff, a position he has held since July 1, 2013. The Public Staff represents the using and consuming public and investigates electric, gas, water, wastewater, and transportation matters before the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Prior to joining the Public Staff, he practiced law in Raleigh, North Carolina with the law firms of Poyner Spruill LLP and Hunton & Williams LLP.
Mr. Ayers serves on the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) Executive Committee, Consumer Advocates for the PJM States Board of Directors, Electric Power Research Institute Advisory Council, University of Missouri Financial Research Institute (FRI) Advisory Board, Keystone Energy Board, and New Mexico State University Center for Public Utilities Advisory Council. He has previously served as President of NASUCA, Chair of the FRI Advisory Board, Chair of the State Employees Credit Union Board of Directors as well as a member of the Critical Consumer Issues Forum Executive Committee, Department of Energy Electricity Advisory Committee, and a two-year term on the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission.
Mr. Ayers earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University and received his Juris Doctor with Honors from the University of North Carolina. He resides in Apex, North Carolina with his wife Rebecca.
Derek Bandera
Executive Director, Federal Regulatory Affairs
Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc.
Derek Bandera is responsible for leading MISO’s coordination and strategic efforts with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Derek joined MISO in May 2013. He manages across the MISO organization to ensure the Commission is able to leverage the expertise and experiences of the MISO staff, as well as aid the Commission in its decision making and the implementation of its regulatory authority to ensure MISO is able to continue to bring the greatest value to its members and customers. Derek is located in MISO’s Washington, D.C. office.
Prior to joining MISO, Derek worked as the Director of Federal Regulatory Affairs at Reliant/RRI Energy/GenOn, an independent power supplier. He led an industry coalition change to the Federal Power Act to clarify DOE and EPA responsibilities and authorities under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act.
Derek also worked as an economist at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the Division of the Chief Economic Advisor, focused on the Commission’s RTO markets policy and implementation, including work involving the California Energy Crisis, Market Monitoring Policy and RTO Price Formation. Derek also served as a policy advisor to then Chairman Pat Wood during his tenure at the Commission.
Derek has B.S. in Mathematics and Economics from Carnegie Mellon University and is A.B.D. in Economics at the University at Albany.
Hon. Philip L. Bartlett II
Chair
Maine Public Utilities Commission
Philip L. Bartlett II, J.D., was appointed to the Maine Public Utilities Commission in June 2019 by Governor Janet Mills. Prior to his appointment, he practiced law with Scaccia, Bartlett & Chabot. He also served in the Maine Senate from 2004 to 2012 and was elected by his peers to serve as Senate Majority Leader from 2008 to 2010. Bartlett chaired the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee as well as the Joint Select Committee on Maine's Energy Future and he served on the Government Oversight Committee, Natural Resources Committee and Labor Committee. He taught micro and macroeconomics at the collegiate level. Chairman Bartlett holds a juris doctorate degree from Harvard Law School. He completed his undergraduate work at Tufts University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude majoring in Economics and Political Science. His term expires in March 2025.
Regine Baus
Legal Counsel
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of Chairman Mark C. Christie
Regine serves as legal counsel to Chairman Mark C. Christie at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), advising on Western electric markets and other matters that arise in the Western United States. She also focuses on transmission and interconnection issues as well as certain corporate and electric market-based rate matters. Prior to this role, she spent seven years as an attorney within FERC’s Office of the General Counsel.
Regine earned her law degree from The George Washington University Law School in 2015 and received an undergraduate degree in political science with focus on public policy from The George Washington University.
Ryan M. Bernstein
Senior Vice President, Federal Public Affairs / Counsel
McGuireWoods Consulting LLC / McGuireWoods LLP
Ryan joined McGuireWoods Consulting in April 2018 and serves as a senior vice president in the Federal Public Affairs group. He assists clients with matters before Congress, regulatory agencies and the executive branch. Ryan works on a large variety of issues, with extensive experience in agriculture, energy, transportation, appropriations and trade.
In addition, Ryan helps private equity investors and portfolio companies understand the implications of federal and state-level policy decisions and energy market trends for their investment and business decisions.
A respected Republican strategist and former chief of staff to U.S. Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota, Ryan possesses nearly two decades of senior government and political experience and was recognized by The Hill as one of the top lobbyists in 2022 for the third consecutive year.
As chief of staff for Senator Hoeven, he was responsible for overseeing Hoeven’s 30-person Senate staff in Washington and North Dakota since 2012 and served for nearly two years as deputy chief of staff before that. In Bismarck, he was a senior adviser to three North Dakota governors – Jack Dalrymple, Hoeven and Ed Schafer – from 2000 through 2010 in roles that included policy advisor and chief legal counsel.
Ryan earned his bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics from North Dakota State University and his J.D. with Distinction from the University of North Dakota Law School. He was also a recipient of the Horizon Award from North Dakota State University. Ryan clerked for the North Dakota Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court in Bismarck and is admitted to the bar in North Dakota and the District of Columbia.
Judge Susan G. Braden (Ret.)
Former U.S. Court of Federal Claims Chief Judge
FedArb
Judge Susan G. Braden was appointed in 2003, by President George W. Bush, to the United States Court of Federal Claims which has exclusive jurisdiction over cases against the federal government arising from: breach of contract/false claims; bid protest; patent and copyright infringement; land, water, and certain environmental disputes. On March 13, 2017, she was designated as Chief Judge. Since her retirement from the federal bench, she has been appointed as a Public Member of the Administrative Conference of the United States, a Fellow of the American Bar Association, and to the Board of Directors of privately- held companies in the software, artificial intelligence, and construction industries. Judge Braden recently was designated as one of ten U.S. Arbitrators to resolve disputes arising under the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada- Agreement) Treaty and has joined the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University as an Adjunct Professor in the Center For Intellectual Property Protection.
Karen Bruni
Partner
Steptoe LLP
Karen Bruni focuses her energy practice on the regulation of electric and natural gas utilities by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). She has successfully worked on complex regulatory, enforcement, and compliance matters related to transmission and interconnection issues, tariff compliance, utility mergers and asset acquisitions, cost-of-service ratemaking, rate design, and cost allocation. Additionally, she has counseled electric utilities before federal courts in litigations related to enforcement and antitrust matters.
Since the start of her legal career, Karen has been an active member of the Energy Bar Association (EBA). She currently serves on the EBA Board of Directors and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Foundation of the Energy Law Journal and chaired EBA’s Compliance & Enforcement Steering Committee.
Before entering private practice with Steptoe, Karen served as a legal fellow for the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Additionally, she worked on energy market issues in both for-profit and nonprofit settings, including at The Brattle Group, and with US businesses on investment opportunities for Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), the economic development agency of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Karen is also committed to Steptoe's pro bono efforts and especially dedicated to helping kids in the Washington, DC area. Karen serves on the Advisory Board of Children's Law Center (CLC) and through her work with CLC provides advocacy to ensure that DC's kids have a stable family, good health, and quality education.
Benjamin Chagnon
Senior Counsel, Strategic Legal Advocacy
Earthjustice
Ben Chagnon is senior counsel for Strategic Legal Advocacy at Earthjustice. He is an appellate and administrative law expert who helps Earthjustice attorneys navigate the emerging challenges of litigating environmental cases in today’s federal and state courts. He focuses on cross-cutting doctrinal issues, including questions of justiciability and jurisdiction, the scope of federal power, and judicial review of agency action.
Before joining Earthjustice, Ben was part of Orrick’s Supreme Court and Appellate group. At Orrick, he filed dozens of briefs in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate levels. That work included a number of certiorari- and merits-stage briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court, including on issues relating to immigration, veterans benefits, and administrative law.
Ben clerked for Judge Judith W. Rogers of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and Judge David F. Hamilton of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He received degrees in economics and political science from Brown University and his law degree from Stanford Law School.
Meredith Berger Chambers
Chief Legal Officer
EDP Renewables North America LLC
Meredith Berger Chambers has been with EDP Renewables since 2008 and has been the firm's Chief Legal Officer since 2020. Prior to her time with EDP Renewables, she spent six years with Van Ness Feldman as an Associate. Meredith holds a Doctor of Law (J.D) degree from The University of Texas School of Law. She is also a board member of the Energy Bar Association.
Vanessa Z Chan, Ph.D.
Vice Dean Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Jonathan & Linda Brassington Professor of Practice
University of Pennsylvania |
School of Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering
Vanessa Chan is an accomplished entrepreneur, angel investor, speaker and educator renowned for her expertise in commercializing technologies. She is the inaugural Vice Dean of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the University of Pennsylvania’s Engineering School and the Jonathan & Linda Brassington Professor of Practice. In 2021, Dr. Chan was appointed by President Biden to serve as the Chief Commercialization Officer at the U.S. Department of Energy and the Director of the Office of Technology Transitions. In this role, she was instrumental in nationally advancing clean energy technologies, notably through the "Pathways to Commercial Liftoff" reports, which provided roadmaps scaling critical technologies like nuclear and geothermal. She also led the creation of a new framework and language for commercialization, “Adoption Readiness Levels” which is being used throughout federal government, incubators, VCs and the private sector to improve commercialization outcomes. Her impact was recognized through her inclusion as one of the world’s 100 most influential business leaders in climate in Time100’s 2024 list.
Before her tenure at the Department of Energy, Vanessa was a partner at McKinsey & Company where she co-led the innovation practice, helping large publicly traded companies commercialize their technologies. Following her time at McKinsey, she founded re.design, a company dedicated to reinventing consumer products to solve everyday challenges selling her products on QVC. Dr. Chan earned her Ph.D. from MIT and a B.S.E. from the University of Pennsylvania, both in Materials Science and Engineering. She is a working parent and in her personal time, Dr. Chan is the co-owner of a pottery studio, an avid mountain biker, yoga practitioner, skier, and world traveler.
Hon. Judy W. Chang
Commissioner
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Judy Chang joined the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as a Commissioner in July 2024.
Commissioner Chang is an energy economics and policy expert with more than 20 years of experience working with energy companies, trade associations and governments on regulatory and financial issues, particularly as they relate to investment decisions in electric transmission, clean energy and energy storage. She is the former Undersecretary of Energy and Climate Solutions for Massachusetts, a role in which she led efforts to set policies across the Commonwealth’s energy sector and align strategies and plans to meet legal requirements for climate change mitigation. Commissioner Chang has presented and testified before U.S. federal and state agencies and regulatory authorities in Canada on topics related to energy resource deployment; energy contracts; transmission planning, access and pricing; and electricity market design. She has presented her work at industry conferences and academic seminars on energy and environmental policies.
Commissioner Chang has taught as an Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and served as a Senior Fellow at the Kennedy School’s Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government. She also served as an ambassador for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Education & Empowerment Initiative and was a founding board member of New England Women in Energy and the Environment.
Commissioner Chang holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California, Davis.
Michael Cianci
Former U.S. Administrative Law Judge
Cianci Mediation Group
Judge Michael J. Cianci Jr. served as a United States Administrative Law Judge for 21 years with three different agencies. He served with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for 9 years. In this capacity, he handled numerous complex energy-related cases as a hearing officer and settlement judge. Serving as a neutral mediator and settlement judge, Mike settled approximately 60 cases relating to complex electricity, natural gas, and oil tariff cases. He was the most requested settlement judge during his tenure at FERC. All of his cases at FERC involved complex energy issues and multiple parties and claims. His hearing cases were largely affirmed by the Commission and Courts of Appeal.
Mike is a graduate of the University of Arizona Law School and received his LL.M. degree from the University of Washington Law School, with substantial coursework in environmental law and water law. As an attorney, he participated in numerous ADR and mediation proceedings, both in private practice and as an environmental attorney for the United States Air Force Environmental Law Division. Mike was principally involved as lead counsel settling water rights claims on behalf of Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in the Las Vegas Water Rights Basin Adjudication. He completed both the ADR and mediation classes at the National Judicial College. Mike additionally served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Arizona in the Insurance Defense Section, Licensing and Regulation Division, and the Natural Resources Division. He represented administrative agencies including several high-profile cases for the Arizona Board of Medical Examiners. Mike was an associate attorney and partner at the prestigious Snell & Wilmer Law Firm and Mariscal, Weeks, McIntyre, and Friedlander Law Firm, respectively, prior to his appointment to the federal administrative judiciary. He has over 40 years of litigation experience.
In addition to energy, water, and environmental law cases, he has handled employment law, commercial and business law, medical malpractice, disability and health law, and construction law cases. He is licensed to practice law in Arizona and Texas and is admitted to the District Court of Arizona, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Mike is a retired Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve and Judge Advocate, proudly serving for 30 years. His facilitative philosophy in mediation is to provide parties with the opportunity to control their destiny by crafting their own equitable settlement. During his time at FERC only one case in which he served as settlement judge failed to settle. Mike serves as a Judge Pro Tem for the Maricopa County Superior Court and mediates ADR cases for the Court. He is a member of the Association of Attorney Mediators. Mike is an avid sports enthusiast and long-distance runner.
Hon. Allison Clements
ASG Partner, 804 Advisory, LLC
Appleby Strategy Group
Allison Clements is a partner with digital infrastructure advisory firm ASG and Principal of 804 Advisory, where she focuses on the intersection of market design, policy and technological innovation as the key to cost effectively and reliably facilitating the energy transition. Allison served as a Commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 2020 to 2024. There, she worked to reform regional transmission planning and cost allocation, began reform of grid interconnection queues, championed technological innovation, and focused on evolving market rules to more accurately reflect changing grid needs. Prior to FERC, Allison was a federal energy policy advocate and strategist after beginning her career in private legal practice. She has served as an energy expert in several capacities including currently with advisory committees at the National Academies of Sciences and National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Allison lives with her family in Washington, DC.
Meghan Conklin
Chief Sustainability Officer to Governor Wes Moore
State of Maryland
Meghan Conklin has more than 20 years of experience in climate change, environment, and energy policy, having served in senior roles in the Obama Administration, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. Meghan previously served for four years as policy advisor to U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen on issues including climate, environment, energy, agriculture, and more. In the Obama Administration, Meghan served as deputy assistant secretary for transmission permitting in the Office of Electricity at the Department of Energy and Associate Deputy Secretary of the Interior.
As Maryland’s chief sustainability officer, Conklin will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to coordinate efforts and resources needed to design, implement, and track progress toward the state’s nation-leading environmental and climate goals. Conklin will participate as a member on the Governor’s Climate Subcabinet and Bay Subcabinet, developing and implementing climate-related policies, regulations, and programs, and fostering partnerships with federal, state, local, and private stakeholders to provide additional resources needed to meet the state’s climate goals on time, including reaching net-zero emissions by 2045, improving water quality, and making Maryland the greenest state in the country.
David Martin Connelly
Partner
McGuireWoods LLP
With more than 25 years of experience, Dave provides strategic legal counsel to electric utilities and their affiliates on a broad range of regulatory and policy matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the U.S. Courts of Appeals. Widely recognized for the depth of his experience, Dave has been honored by Chambers Global, Chambers USA, Lawdragon 500, The Best Lawyers in America, Washington DC Super Lawyers, and The Legal 500 United States for his accomplishments in energy regulation.
Dave’s practice focuses on electric transmission issues, including open-access transmission service, cost-of-service rates for transmission and ancillary services, incentive transmission rates, and both generation and transmission interconnection matters. He also has significant breadth of experience with the provision of wholesale distribution service in bilateral and organized markets.
A substantial part of Dave’s work involves advising clients on the complexities of transmission and generation interconnection related to renewable energy projects. Additionally, he provides guidance on North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) compliance, including self-reports, formal audits, and addressing cybersecurity concerns.
Dave is the immediate past president of the Energy Bar Association, further underscoring his leadership and influence in the energy sector.
Lucy Darago, Ph.D.
Chief Commercial Officer
XGS Energy
As Chief Commercial Officer at XGS Energy, an advanced geothermal technology and project developer, Lucy is responsible for XGS’s global project pipeline, financing, and business development. Lucy joined XGS in 2022, and prior to XGS served as a Principal at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where she held leadership roles in the Energy, Climate & Sustainability, and Public Sector practices. At BCG, Lucy led technology studies and investment strategies for energy developers, utilities, and large-scale energy consumers. Lucy holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, where she authored over 25 technical papers in materials science for energy and computing applications.
David O. Dardis
Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Policy Officer
Constellation Energy
Dardis is a veteran energy industry lawyer with more than two decades of experience representing utilities, electric generation companies, and power and gas marketers, and serving in the federal government. He manages all legal, government and regulatory affairs for Constellation as well as the corporate governance and corporate compliance functions. He serves on the Constellation Executive Committee, which sets strategy and direction for the company.
Dardis joined Constellation in 2007 and has held various leadership roles leading large legal teams and advising senior management on key issues facing the company. His experience includes negotiating and closing transformative mergers and acquisitions, leading complex commercial transactions, successfully resolving government investigations, achieving market solutions to support clean energy production, and building best-in-class compliance programs. Prior to joining Constellation, he was legal advisor to Chairman Joseph Kelliher of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In that role, he advised the Chairman on the organized electric markets in the Eastern Interconnection, implementation of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and development of the agency’s enforcement program. Prior to his work at FERC, Dardis was an attorney in the Washington, D.C. offices of the law firms of Hunton & Williams LLP and Balch & Bingham LLP. Dardis also has worked in various political and policy roles including as a speech writer for a former Presidential candidate and a communications professional for two former cabinet members.
Dardis serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Irvine Nature Center in Owings Mills, MD, Director on the Board of the National Aquarium, Director on the Board of the FirstTee of Greater Baltimore, and is an emeritus member of the Law Council for Washington and Lee University School of Law. He was previously a trustee at Second Presbyterian Church in Baltimore.
Dardis earned his bachelor of arts in Politics from Pomona College and his juris doctor from Washington and Lee University School of Law.
David T. Doot
Of Counsel
Day Pitney LLP
David "Dave" Doot, former chair of the firm's Energy and Utilities industry group, has counseled businesses around the country on wholesale and retail arrangements for the purchase and sale of electricity and advocated on their behalf before federal and state energy regulators. Clients turned to Dave for guidance in dealing with renewable and conventional sources of power generation, energy-related transactions and energy regulation and compliance, and for representation before regulators to advance the clients' goals.
Dave was previously secretary and lead counsel for the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL), the regional organization through which transmission service arrangements and wholesale power trading in New England are defined. During Dave's NEPOOL representation, Day Pitney prepared all the amendments to NEPOOL arrangements, acquired the necessary regulatory approvals and assisted in the mediation and settlement of numerous proceedings. That representation included compliance with numerous changes ordered by federal regulators, as well as implementation and continuous refinement of locational marginal pricing for energy in New England, the settlement of litigation over capacity markets that resulting in the implementation of New England's forward capacity market and continuous efforts to improve and refine that market. Dave is the past president of the 2600-member Energy Bar Association, an international, non-profit association of attorneys, non-attorney professionals and students active in all areas of energy law.
Mason Emnett
Senior Vice President, Public Policy
Constellation Energy Generation LLC
Emnett leads the development and implementation of federal, regional, and state governmental, regulatory and public policy strategies for Constellation, the nation’s largest producer of carbon-free energy and the leading competitive retail supplier of energy products and services for 2 million homes and businesses across the United States. He is responsible for identifying and assessing key federal and state policy issues of interest to Constellation, crafting the company’s position on such issues and developing strategies for achieving public policy objectives on behalf of Constellation’s customers and businesses. He is also responsible for managing the company’s wholesale market design advocacy in each of the regional markets where the company operates. Prior to joining Exelon, Emnett was Senior FERC Counsel for NextEra Energy, Inc., where he provided legal support and strategic advice on federal regulatory matters. Before joining NextEra in 2014, Emnett served as Deputy Director of the Office of Energy Policy and Innovation at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, where he led the development of regulations and rules governing wholesale electric markets and the provision of interstate transmission service. Prior to joining in 2006, Emnett was in private practice with the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom LLP.
Rep. Julie Fedorchak
Representative, ND
United States Congress
Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak is a fourth-generation North Dakotan, proudly representing her state’s people, values, and traditions in Washington, D.C.
Julie has 30 years of experience in business and public service. Most recently, she completed 12 years as a member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission. In that role, she helped deliver North Dakota families and businesses the lowest utilities services costs in the nation, permitted more than $15 billion in energy infrastructure projects, and advocated for reliability-based market reforms as her state’s liaison to the 15-state grid operator MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator).
Julie rose to several national and regional leadership positions in the energy sector, including president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), a post she completed in November 2024. Julie has been a national advocate for the responsible, aggressive energy development that is necessary for economic growth, public safety and national security.
Prior to being a utility regulator, Julie was U.S. Senator John Hoeven’s state director for two years. Early in her career she served as communications director for North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer, helping to strengthen the state’s business climate and drive economic growth. She later founded a successful communications business which she ran for 10 years, authoring several books and articles, and working with clients across business, government, and politics.
Born in Williston, raised in Fargo, and a graduate of Bismarck Century High School and the University of North Dakota, Julie embodies North Dakota’s hardworking and resilient spirit. Growing up as the youngest of eight children, she spent summers on her family farm near Belden, where she developed a deep appreciation for North Dakota’s farming and ranching communities.
Julie and her husband, Mike, a Navy veteran, have been married for 25years, live in Mandan and have three grown children. They are active members of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit parish and are involved in various community organizations, including the University of Mary, where Julie serves on the Board of Trustees.
In her free time, Julie enjoys entertaining, golfing, hunting, traveling, and cheering on North Dakota’s sports teams. Above all, she remains passionate about serving the people of North Dakota and preserving the state’s values for future generations.
Alexander Fitzsimmons
Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary
United States Department of Energy
Alex Fitzsimmons serves as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In his role, Alex works with the 17th Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, to unleash American energy innovation, and with President Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council, which is led by Secretaries Burgum and Wright. Prior to DOE, Alex was Head of Government Affairs at a next-generation battery materials company. Alex also served as a Senior Director at ClearPath, where he worked to advance a broad portfolio of energy technologies. From 2017-2020, Alex served in the Trump Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary in DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and as Chief of Staff to the EERE Assistant Secretary.
Hon. Judith K. Fitzgerald (Ret.)
Former U.S. Bankruptcy Judge
Tucker Arensberg PC
Retired U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Judith K. Fitzgerald served in her home jurisdiction in the Western District of Pennsylvania for nearly 26 years. She sat by designation in the District of Delaware, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of the U.S. Virgin Islands. She has been blessed with an exciting, challenging and intellectually stimulating career. As a Judicial Law Clerk, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chief Bankruptcy Judge, Professor of Law, Practitioner at Tucker Arensberg, Arbitrator, Mediator, Author and Expert Witness, she has experienced a wide variety of legal disciplines and administrative responsibilities.
Judi is a Professor in the Practice of Law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she teaches Bankruptcy and Advanced Bankruptcy. She is active in national and local professional organizations including the American Law Institute, the American College of Bankruptcy, the American Inns of Court, Commercial Law League of America, and the American Bankruptcy Institute. Among other offices, she has served as President of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and as Chair of the Bankruptcy Judges Advisory Committee to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Judi has received numerous awards and recognitions including the Commercial Law League’s Lawrence P. King Award for Excellence in Bankruptcy and the American Inns of Court Bankruptcy Alliance Distinguished Service Award. Judi consults and lectures in maters involving trial strategy, professional responsibility, bankruptcy including mass tort bankruptcies, evidence, procedure, and contracts and participates on several committees and boards dedicated to fostering legal education and improving access to justice.
Robert Fleishman
Energy Resolve LLC
Robert Fleishman (Bob) is an experienced ADR neutral and President of Energy Resolve LLC where he is available to serve as a mediator and arbitrator in energy-related disputes. Bob was the Co-Chairman and Project Director for the Energy ADR Forum, and is affiliated with FedArb. Bob is a retired energy regulatory partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Kirkland & Ellis, LLP. He began his career at FERC, then worked at Baltimore Gas & Electric Company/Constellation Energy in roles of increasing responsibility, including General Counsel and Vice-President for Corporate Affairs. Bob started practice in “Big Law” later in his career with Covington & Burling, then with Morrison Foerster. Bob has been recognized in energy regulatory law by Chambers Global, Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, and The Legal 500 US. He was named by The National Law Journal to its list of 2017 Energy & Environmental Trailblazers and honored by the Energy Bar Association (EBA) with the EBA President’s Award (2019) and the Paul E. Nordstrom Service Award (2016). Bob served as Editor-In-Chief of the Energy Law Journal (2005–2019) and is a past President of the Energy Bar Association. He also served for years as President of the Grassroots Crisis and Intervention Center in Howard County and the Community Mediation Program in Baltimore.
Dr. Peter Fox-Penner
Principal
The Brattle Group
Dr. Fox-Penner is an expert in energy and climate policy, regulated industries, and sustainable finance. Specializing in the markets, policies, regulation, and transformation of the electricity industry, Dr. Fox-Penner has advised numerous US energy companies, grid operators, and government agencies. He has testified on energy-related matters in more than 100 proceedings, including before federal courts, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, state courts, arbitrations, and more than a dozen state public service commissions. He has served as a regulatory and strategic advisor to boards and executives at utilities and energy companies across the country.
With a career that has spanned consulting, senior government roles, and academia, Dr. Fox-Penner was the founding director of Boston University’s multidisciplinary Institute for Global Sustainability (IGS) and a professor of the practice at the University’s Questrom School of Business. He is a frequent speaker on energy topics and the author of numerous published articles and books, including Smart Power: Climate Change, the Smart Grid, and the Future of Electric Utilities (Island Press, 2010). His research – on topics such as electric power strategy, regulation, and governance – has been widely cited, including in a US Supreme Court decision.
Dr. Fox-Penner has served in various roles at Brattle, including Office Director, board member, and the firm’s longest-serving Chairman of the Board. He previously served as a senior official at the US Department of Energy and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
He is the Chairman, Impact at Energy Impact Partners, a clean energy investment platform, and a founding member of the steering committee of Project Frame and the Venture Climate Alliance, an affiliate of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero. He is also a member of the Global Leadership Council of the World Resources Institute and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for Greenly, a carbon footprint company based in Paris, France.
Hon. Sarah Freeman
Commissioner
Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission
Sarah Freeman was appointed by Governor Mike Pence as Commissioner on September 19, 2016, and was most recently reappointed by Governor Eric Holcomb on December 20, 2021. Commissioner Freeman sits on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and is a member of the NARUC Committee on Telecommunications. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Universal Service Administrative Company, chairs the Midcontinent Independent System Operator Advisory Committee, and is a member of the Electric Power Research Institute Advisory Council. Freeman is also President of the Mid-American Regulatory Conference, Vice Chair of the Financial Research Institute Advisory Council at the University of Missouri, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Organization of MISO States.
Prior to her appointment, Commissioner Freeman served as a senior staff attorney with the nonpartisan Indiana Legislative Services Agency, where she drafted utility and transportation legislation and served as counsel to numerous legislative committees.
A native Hoosier, Commissioner Freeman earned her undergraduate degrees in psychology, French, and political science from Indiana University – Bloomington and her juris doctor degree from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Commissioner Freeman lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Ian Stewart. Their daughter, Nia, attends Indiana University-Bloomington. They are members of Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation.
Brian George
U.S. Federal Lead, Global Energy Market Development and Policy
Google
Brian is responsible for energy regulatory and policy engagement across the federal government, including Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Department of Energy. In addition, he is responsible for energy regulatory and legislative engagement across PJM and the mid-Atlantic region, where Google datacenters represent a large and growing commercial load. Brian has extensive experience in wholesale electricity market design and energy policy. Prior to Google, Brian was the Senior Director for Strategy and Government Affairs at the Electric Power Supply Association where he led policy development and federal legislative engagement for a membership consisting of over 150,000 MW of competitive power generation across the US. Brian started his career as an economist at FERC, serving in roles across multiple offices, including the Office of Enforcement and the Office of Energy Policy and Innovation. Brian capped his service at FERC as a technical advisor to former commissioner Rob Powelson, where he advised on significant issues impacting all of the organized electricity markets. A native of West Virginia, Brian now lives in Maryland with his wife, son, and goldendoodle.
Ellen C. Ginsberg
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Nuclear Energy Institute
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary Ellen Ginsberg is NEI’s senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. She has held those positions since 2005, previously serving as NEI’s deputy general counsel.
Ginsberg is responsible for legal matters affecting the commercial nuclear energy industry. She represents NEI in proceedings before federal regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy. She also works with state attorneys general on generic legal, regulatory and policy issues.
Ginsberg directs and manages NEI’s litigation on behalf of its members. NEI frequently participates as a party or amicus curiae in matters before the U.S. Supreme Court, federal Courts of Appeals, and state courts. Under her leadership, NEI and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners successfully advocated to the D.C. Circuit that it should order DOE to discontinue its collection of the fee for the used fuel disposal program that DOE had unilaterally terminated. Succeeding in this action will save electricity consumers $750 million dollars per year in fees. She also directed NEI’s participation in the In re Aiken County lawsuit, which was successful in obtaining an order from the D.C. Circuit mandating that the NRC resume its review of the Yucca Mountain license application.
Recently, Ms. Ginsberg was featured in a Modern Counsel article, an online publication that shares the perspectives and experiences of highly-regarded members of the legal community. Prior to joining NEI, Ginsberg practiced with the Washington, D.C., law firm of Swidler & Berlin. While there, she was heavily involved in litigation of prudence matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and advised nuclear utilities to reduce the risk of prudence disallowances.
From 1984 to 1986, Ginsberg served as a law clerk to the NRC’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel. In that position, she had substantial responsibility for evaluating pleadings and testimony submitted in licensing proceedings and for generating initial drafts of decisions issued by licensing boards.
Craig Glazer
VP, Federal Government Policy
PJM Interconnection LLC
Prior to joining PJM, Glazer served as commissioner and chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Glazer oversaw Ohio’s move toward deregulation of its telephone, natural gas, transportation and electric industries. He also chaired the state’s siting board and served as a member of the governor’s cabinet.
Glazer remains extremely active on national electricity issues. He frequently testified before Congress and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the development of regional transmission organizations and the needs of the marketplace. Glazer served as a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, chair of its International Relations Committee, and a member of its Electricity and Energy Resources committees. He also chaired the National Council on Competition in the Electric Industry – an interagency collaborative, which brought together FERC, state public utility commissions, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Council of State Legislatures.
He has also served as chair of the board of directors of the Northeast-Midwest Institute, a bipartisan research arm of the Northeast and Midwest regions’ congressional delegations. Glazer has served as a member of the advisory councils of the Electric Power Research Institute and the Gas Research Institute.
Glazer is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Vanderbilt University School of Law.
Robert E. Gramlich
Founder & President
Grid Strategies LLC
Rob Gramlich is Founder and President of Grid Strategies LLC, a Washington DC-based consultancy focused on transmission and power markets for a reliable, affordable, and sustainable power system. He co-founded Americans for a Clean Energy Grid, Working for Advanced Transmission Technologies (WATT Coalition), Advancing Modern Powerlines (AMP Coalition), the Macro Grid Initiative, the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition, RENEW Northeast, and the Future Power Markets Forum. Rob and Grid Strategies have appeared recently as experts in national news stories in the Washington Post, Fox Business, New York Times, NPR, C-SPAN, and the Wall Street Journal. Rob was formerly SVP and Interim CEO, American Wind Energy Association, Economic Advisor to FERC Chairman Pat Wood III, and Senior Economist at PJM Interconnection LLC. Rob has a BA with honors in Economics from Colby College and a Master of Public Policy degree from UC Berkeley.
Meghan Greenfield
Partner
Jenner & Block LLP
Meghan Greenfield is a strategic environmental litigator and regulatory counselor, leveraging her extensive government background at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to guide clients through the rapidly evolving environmental legal landscape.
At EPA, Meghan served as Senior Counsel for Litigation, overseeing major litigation and regulatory developments under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the regulation of PFAS (“forever chemicals”) under various statutes. Before that, she was a Senior Counsel for Appellate Matters in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the DOJ, where she led high-profile environmental litigation before the DC Circuit and other federal appellate courts. Prior to joining the DOJ, Meghan worked in private practice as an associate at an AmLaw 10 law firm.
Meghan has extensive knowledge in power and energy transition, advising clients on regulatory policies under the Inflation Reduction Act, carbon sequestration initiatives, and clean energy development. She has deep expertise in greenhouse gas regulations, having handled litigation involving the EPA’s methane and power sector rules, and has played a key role in shaping policies on emissions standards and regulatory compliance. Her background extends to the regulation of hazardous substances, guiding clients on Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance while mitigating risks associated with hazardous substance management and remediation. Additionally, she counsels corporations on environmental justice and ESG strategies, helping businesses navigate sustainability initiatives, regulatory obligations, and litigation risks to ensure compliance with evolving legal and policy expectations.
Chris Heywood
Senior Counsel
BP America Inc.
Chris Heywood is a Senior Counsel with BP America’s Gas and Power Trading group where he focuses on natural gas trading and marketing and related federal energy regulation. He is based in Houston, Texas and has practiced energy law for 24 years. Prior to BP, he worked at Statoil North America (now Equinor) and several law firms in Washington, D.C. Mr. Heywood is a graduate of The Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America.
Cynthia L. M. Holland
Associate General Counsel
Exelon Corp.
Bio Coming Soon...
Aubrey Johnson
Vice President, System Planning and Competitive Transmission
Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc.
Aubrey oversees all aspects of transmission planning, resource planning, and SEAMS Strategy to meet MISO’s future system needs. He is responsible for the planning process that yields the annual MISO Transmission Expansion Plan, including reliability, economic and interregional planning, transmission cost allocation, resource adequacy, resource utilization, and the competitive transmission developer selection and monitoring process. Aubrey’s background spans more than 30 years in the energy industry.
Zakaria Joundi
Executive Director, Market & Grid Strategy
Midcontinent Independent System Operator
Zak Joundi, Executive Director of Market and Grid Strategy group, leads the Market Design functions. His team works on key market design changes to ensure the reliable operation of energy markets both now and in the future. Zak is particularly focused on forging partnerships with industry stakeholders to develop and evaluate these changes, helping shape MISO's strategy for emerging challenges, and opportunities in the energy sector.
Throughout his tenure at MISO, Zak has taken on a variety of increasingly significant roles across multiple divisions, including Generation and Transmission Planning, Market Administration, Data & Analytics, and Research & Development. His work has contributed to numerous major initiatives at MISO.
In addition to his leadership in market design, Zak’s work involves close collaboration with hundreds of stakeholders, regulators, and industry experts, all working together to advance the future of energy.
Travis Kavulla
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs
NRG Energy Inc.
Travis Kavulla is vice president for regulatory affairs at NRG, guiding the company’s regulatory policy related to wholesale and retail electricity, gas, and environmental-attribute markets at both the federal and state level. In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Travis is a lecturer at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, where he teaches a course on utility regulation and electricity markets. He serves on several boards, including those of Advanced Energy United, the Advanced Energy Management Alliance, and the Keystone Energy Board.
Travis joined NRG from the R Street Institute, where he led the think tank's energy program. Previously, he served eight years as commissioner at the Montana Public Service Commission, including as chairman, and was President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. In addition to his service as a state regulator, he sat on the advisory council of the Electric Power Research Institute and led the steering committee responsible for electric transmission planning for the northern Rocky Mountain region of the Western United States. He also helped found and later served as an independent member of the governing body of one of North America’s largest electricity markets, the Western Energy Imbalance Market.
Travis received his bachelor’s degree in history from Harvard University and a master’s, also in history, at the University of Cambridge, where he was a Gates Scholar. Travis lives in Maryland with his wife and three children.
Adam Keech
Vice President - Market Design & Economics
PJM Interconnection
Adam Keech oversees the design of all of the wholesale markets operated by PJM and the development of large-scale advanced analyses such as those done for carbon pricing and renewable integration. He is also responsible for the applied innovation area that focuses on evaluating, leveraging and supporting the implementation of advanced solutions in the planning, markets and operations areas. Keech has worked for PJM since 2003 and held senior leadership roles in both the Market Services and System Operations divisions.
Keech earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Rutgers University and earned a Master of Science in applied statistics from West Chester University.
Hon. Suedeen G. Kelly
Partner
Jenner & Block LLP
Suedeen Kelly is a partner at Jenner & Block, where she is co-chair of the firm’s energy practice. She is a former FERC Commissioner and Chair of the New Mexico Public Service Commission. She is an experienced litigator and highly-recognized counsellor in the areas of energy market structures and financial products, infrastructure development and operation, emerging technologies, federal and state law, impending policy changes, and domestic/international market interrelations. Suedeen has been recognized as a leading energy lawyer by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, Best Lawyers in America, and she was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award in 2022 by the University of New Mexico School of Law, where she taught energy law, utility regulation, and administrative law for 15 years.
Gretchen Kershaw
Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Strategy
Grid Strategies LLC
Gretchen Kershaw is Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Strategy of Grid Strategies LLC. In this role, she leads the development of overall business strategy, manages the team of experts, oversees business operations and marketing initiatives, and serves as a senior consultant. She has extensive experience in the power sector, having worked for twelve years at FERC and nearly two years at DOE prior to joining Grid Strategies. At DOE, she served as the Senior Advisor on Transmission in the Grid Deployment Office, where she received two consecutive Secretary’s Honor Awards for her work on DOE’s cross-cutting transmission programs. At FERC, she served as a Senior Legal Advisor to the General Counsel, focused on the agency’s top priorities, including recent rulemakings on long-term transmission planning and cost allocation and generator interconnection. Prior to this role, she held a variety of positions at FERC, including as Legal Advisor to then-Commissioner Rich Glick, Managing Attorney in the General Counsel’s Energy Markets Division, Law Clerk to Administrative Law Judges, and Law Clerk in the Office of Enforcement. Gretchen has a JD from American University Washington College of Law and a BA in Political Science from Wake Forest University.
Ray P. Kuyler
Deputy General Counsel
Westinghouse Electric Company
Ray Kuyler is Deputy General Counsel for Energy Systems and Regulatory matters at Westinghouse Electric Company, a leading U.S. and international provider of nuclear power plant products and services. Mr. Kuyler provides commercial advice to the global new plant business, including the AP1000 and AP300 product lines, and advises all Westinghouse business units on nuclear regulatory compliance and related legal issues. Before joining Westinghouse, he was a member of the nuclear energy practice at Morgan Lewis & Bockius in Washington, DC, where he focused on the licensing of existing and new plants. Earlier in his career, he was a nuclear-trained surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy, qualifying as a chief engineer and serving as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy. Mr. Kuyler earned his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and his B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy.
Jeremy Medovoy
Partner
McGuireWoods LLP
Jeremy advises clients on high-stakes energy enforcement and compliance matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). He brings firsthand experience in FERC investigations, audits, and surveillance and reliability inquiries, as well as related litigation stemming from such matters. Drawing on his broad senior leadership roles within FERC’s Office of Enforcement, including serving as FERC’s top ranking enforcement lawyer, Jeremy provides clients unique insight into the inner dynamics at play in agency enforcement matters, including the factors and priorities FERC and its staff consider in determining whether to pursue alleged violations and what sanctions and remedies to seek for them. He also assists clients in developing compliance programs tailored to their unique business operations in the energy markets.
As Deputy Director of FERC’s Office of Enforcement, and the office’s most senior-level attorney, Jeremy played a pivotal role in overseeing all aspects of the agency’s enforcement program, including investigations, enforcement actions, and federal court litigation involving alleged violations of federal energy laws. He led enforcement matters involving market manipulation, NERC’s reliability standards, and tariff compliance, working closely with other federal agencies and industry stakeholders to uphold the integrity of energy markets. Jeremy also managed FERC’s audit and accounting functions, providing oversight over audit scope areas and guidance on staff’s findings and recommendations in individual audits.
Before his appointment as Deputy Director, Jeremy held multiple leadership roles within FERC’s Office of Enforcement, including Deputy Director and Branch Chief in the Division of Investigations. Throughout his tenure, he was instrumental in shaping FERC’s enforcement policy and leading high-profile investigations and enforcement actions that have influenced the regulatory landscape. His experience spanned the electric, natural gas, and oil industries and involved all of FERC’s enforcement priority areas, including market manipulation, electric reliability, and infrastructure projects. He also worked in close coordination with staff at CFTC, NERC, the Department of Justice, and market monitoring units of the organized electric markets, gaining insight into the practices and priorities of these agencies. He began his career at FERC as an attorney in the Division of Investigations, where he gained significant experience conducting investigations, negotiating settlements, and advising on enforcement strategy. Jeremy’s deep understanding of FERC’s enforcement framework also enables him to provide strategic guidance on compliance, self-reporting, and risk mitigation.
Prior to joining FERC in 2009, Jeremy practiced law at an international law firm, representing clients in complex commercial litigation and civil and criminal government investigations. He also served as a law clerk to Judge Brook Hedge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Joel Newton
Vice President, Regulatory Law
Bloom Energy
Joel Newton is the Vice President of Regulatory Law at Bloom Energy. Since joining the company in 2024, he has led legal and regulatory initiatives before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state public utility commissions, and international energy regulatory bodies. His work focuses on advancing regulatory policies that support the integration of distributed energy resources, specifically Bloom Energy Server systems, with data centers, commercial and industrial customers, and other critical infrastructure.
Prior to joining Bloom Energy, Joel spent over two decades at NextEra Energy, where he served as Senior FERC Counsel. In this role, he led the company’s regulatory strategy across multiple U.S. energy markets, including ISO New England, PJM Interconnection, and the California Independent System Operator. His expertise spans interconnection and transmission reforms, energy and capacity markets, project development, financings, and mergers and acquisitions.
Beyond his corporate roles, Joel served on the Board of the Energy Storage Association. Earlier in his career, he held senior regulatory roles at Dynegy, managing FERC litigation related to California electricity crisis, and practiced at leading law firms representing energy clients in regulatory proceedings, mergers, and market restructuring efforts.
Joel earned his undergraduate degree from Franklin and Marshall College and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh.
Lauren A. Perotti
Assistant General Counsel
North American Electric Reliability Corporation
Lauren A. Perotti is an Assistant General Counsel with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) in Washington, DC. NERC is the Electric Reliability Organization for North America certified by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under Section 215 of the Federal Power Act. Lauren represents NERC in proceedings before FERC and Canadian energy regulators on Reliability Standards matters and other matters involving NERC’s governance. Prior to joining NERC, Lauren was an associate with Haynes and Boone LLP in Washington, DC. Lauren is a 2009 graduate of the George Mason University School of Law in Arlington, Virginia.
Andrew Ritter, Jr.
Vice-President - Regulatory & Legislative Affairs
Range Resources Corp.
Andrew Ritter Jr. currently serves as Vice-President of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for Range Resources – a leading U.S. independent natural gas and NGL producer with operations focused on stacked-pay projects in the Appalachian Basin.
Mr. Ritter began his career in 2005 with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives where he served in a various capacities. In 2011, he joined Governor Corbett’s Office of Legislative Affairs and was involved in numerous landmark legislative enactments involving the natural gas industry, including world class standards and regulations for the natural gas industry as well as incentives for petrochemical development. After serving in Governor Corbett’s administration, Mr. Ritter worked for four years as a government relations consultant working on behalf of a variety of clients. He left this line of work in 2017 to manage a statewide gubernatorial campaign before joining Range Resources in 2018.
Mr. Ritter is a 2005 graduate of York College of Pennsylvania. He is a lifelong resident of southcentral Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Andrea, are raising their three children in Cumberland County. He remains active in his community, church, and youth sports programs.
Jorge Roman
Environmental and Energy Associate
Bassman, Mitchell, Alfano & Leiter Chtd.
Jorge Roman counsels trade associations and their member companies on regulations and legal issues affecting the energy sector and the chemical manufacturing industry. He manages a diverse portfolio of matters under environmental, energy, transportation, and occupational safety laws. His practice includes advising on compliance, advocating for regulatory policies, and supporting litigation efforts related to automotive standards, biofuels, fuel storage, hazardous liquids transportation, GHG regulation, chemical risk management, emerging PFAS requirements, and occupational hazards. Additionally, Jorge specializes in legal issues concerning environmental reviews for energy project permitting, including climate impact assessments.
Laura Smith Morton
Partner
Perkins Coie LLP
Laura Morton counsels energy companies and utilities pursuing the development of major infrastructure projects, with a focus on environmental review, permitting, natural resources, and oceans. Laura’s clients seek her advice based on her deep regulatory knowledge and understanding of the intricacies of federal agency policy and practices following her almost decade of government service. She also leverages her federal agency experience to counsel utilities and energy technology and manufacturing companies on compliance requirements for multi-million-dollar financing and funding awards.
Laura previously served as the senior director for offshore wind at American Clean Power (ACP), the leading renewable energy industry trade association in the United States. Before joining ACP, Laura served as acting Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where she worked on a range of issues spanning water resources and data, aquaculture, and offshore energy.
Laura’s prior experience also includes serving as senior advisor in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Energy, Deputy Associate Director for Energy and Climate Change at the White House Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ), and Policy Advisor at the Office of Management and Budget. Her work at DOE and CEQ included leading interagency task forces to improve permitting and review of large infrastructure projects, with a particular focus on complex multi-state electric transmission lines.
In her decade of private practice, Laura represented energy companies in complex multidistrict litigation and in federal circuit and district court, ensured corporate compliance with a wide range of environmental, land use, and natural resource laws, and conducted environmental due diligence for project finance transactions.
Dr, Kathleen Spees
Principal
The Brattle Group Inc.
Dr. Kathleen Spees is a Principal at The Brattle Group with expertise in wholesale electricity market design and decarbonization policy, particularly conducting economic and modeling analysis of bulk power system transition. For market operators she supports power market reforms including energy, ancillary services, capacity, green attribute markets, and integration of emerging technologies. She supports regulators, environmental groups, and utilities to develop decarbonization policies; model power sector and economy-wide decarbonization pathways; compare benefits and costs of policy alternatives; and assess affordability. For energy-intensive companies pursuing net zero commitments, Dr. Spees offers economic advice for estimating fleet-wide greenhouse gas abatement cost curves, identifying least-cost pathways to net zero, designing internal carbon pricing and incentive programs, and conducting due diligence analysis of carbon abatement investments.
Pamela Sporborg
Director of Transmission and Market Strategy
Portland General Electric
Pam Sporborg is the Director of Transmission and Market Services at Portland General Electric. Pam oversees PGE’s advocacy work on wholesale markets, transmission and interconnection policy, and operations technical training. Pam is an experienced regional leader, including Co-Chairing the Pathways Initiative, participating in the CAISO’s Governance Review Committee, Chairing the EIM Nominating Committee and the EIM Regional Issues Forum.
Prior to her work at PGE, Pam was an Analyst in the Office of Energy Policy and Innovation at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, DC. She was also a Presidential Management Fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the Demand Response Team Lead at the Bonneville Power Administration.
Pam lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, Jeff, daughter, Adele, and a flock of chickens. Pam earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a Master’s in Public Administration from the Mark Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. She is on the Board of Young Audiences, a nonprofit that brings arts education into classrooms and the Advisory Board of the Portland Youth Philharmonic.
Molly Suda
Associate General Counsel
Duke Energy
Molly joined Duke Energy in 2018 as Associate General Counsel and is based in Washington, D.C. She focuses on federal energy regulation and issues before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Prior to joining Duke Energy, Molly was a partner at the law firm K&L Gates LLP.
Mona Tandon
Partner
Van Ness Feldman LLC
Mona focuses her practice on oil and product pipelines, natural gas, and electric utility regulation. This encompasses all aspects of project development and acquisitions, project siting and permitting, environmental concerns, contract negotiations and transactional issues, tariffs, ratemaking and regulatory rate litigation, and the implementation of environmental justice issues by different agencies. Mona specializes in counseling clients on best practices to avoid administrative actions by federal regulatory agencies.
Mona also advises clients on general corporate matters and legislative issues, including corporate governance, infrastructure security, and risk management. In addition, Mona assists residential and commercial appliance manufacturers in navigating federal and state energy efficiency regulations and the ENERGY STAR program. Specifically, she helps clients request waivers from, and changes to, energy efficiency standards to fit unique circumstances and accommodate advanced technologies; resolve energy efficiency enforcement actions; and develop legislative advocacy strategies and policy recommendations. A large part of Mona’s practice includes assisting clients with regulatory due diligence matters during the purchase and sale of energy assets.
Prior to returning to Van Ness Feldman, where she practiced for the first 10 years of her career, Mona served as Senior Legal Counsel to TransCanada. Mona was one of the only U.S.-credentialed attorneys based in TransCanada’s headquarters in Calgary, Alberta. In that role, she managed U.S. federal and state regulatory issues and governmental affairs for the company’s oil and natural gas pipeline business and Western power business. She advised the company on strategic and regulatory compliance matters, including those related to rates, capacity access, open seasons, tariffs, terms of service, transportation agreements, and commercial arrangements. Mona’s work also included advising clients regarding crossborder issues, managing global customs and international trade issues for the company and advising on efficient and effective movements of goods across borders. Her project work with TransCanada included infrastructure projects in the State of Alaska.
Mona is an active participant in the firm’s pro bono practice and is the co-coordinator of the Pipeline & LNG Practice. She currently serves as the firm's Deputy Treasurer and is on the firm’s Recruiting Committee and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Previously Mona was one of the firm’s Associate Coordinators and was responsible for managing the firm’s associates.
Hon. Emile C. Thompson
Chairman
D.C. Public Service Commission
Emile C. Thompson was appointed to the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia by Mayor Muriel Bowser in 2021 and re-appointed as Interim Chairman on December 1, 2021. He was confirmed as Chairman on June 7, 2022.
Before the Commission, Chairman Thompson was an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, serving as a Deputy Chief. He has also served as a Principal Member of the D.C. Water Board of Directors since 2016. Chairman Thompson began his career as a law clerk for the Honorable (Ret.) Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He also served as a senior advisor to the Mayoral Administrations of Vincent Gray and Muriel Bowser. Chairman Thompson is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Board of Directors (NARUC), representing public service commissions that regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. He serves as Co-Chair of the Commission Chairs Council, which provides a forum for Commission Chairs to discuss pertinent issues that affect Commission’s nationwide. In addition, he serves as Vice Chair of the Committee on Critical Infrastructure and is a member of the NARUC Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Financial Research Institute and the Critical Consumer Issues Forum. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Organization of PJM Staes, Inc., and the Advisory Council of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Board of Directors.
Chairman Thompson graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in Computer Science and minors in Math and Biology. He obtained his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.
Born in Washington, D.C., Chairman Thompson resides with his wife and children. He is active in the D.C. community, serving as a board member of the Abramson Scholarship Foundation and a former board member of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington. He is also an adjunct professor at American University Washington College of Law.
Scott A. Vance
Vice President for Corporate Governance; General Counsel
Energy Northwest
Scott A. Vance joined Energy Northwest in October, 2017. As vice president, Corporate Governance and general counsel for Energy Northwest, he is responsible for overseeing the Legal Services, Environmental & Regulatory Programs, Regulatory Affairs, Supply Chain Services, and Public Affairs Departments, as well as addressing the legal needs of the Executive Team and governing boards.
Prior to joining Energy Northwest, Mr. Vance led a group of attorneys in direct support of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) fleet of seven nuclear units at Watts Bar, Sequoyah and Browns Ferry. During more than 10 years with the TVA general counsel’s office, Vance provided business support across TVA’s generation spectrum of coal, natural gas, wind, hydro and solar facilities.
Prior to TVA, Mr. Vance spent seven years with the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman in Washington, D.C., as an associate and nuclear regulatory specialist. Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Vance was a contractor to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, a senior consultant and manager with the engineering consulting firm JAI Corporation, a project manager with CH2M Hill, and a senior research engineer with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Mr. Vance earned his J.D. from the George Mason University School of Law. He holds master’s degrees in nuclear engineering, and technology and policy, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a bachelor’s degree in general engineering (nuclear option) from Idaho State University.
Melinda Warner
Associate
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Melinda’s practice focuses on electricity transmission and energy market regulation. She represents clients before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), other federal agencies, and federal courts. Matters range from litigation to rulemaking regarding regulatory compliance and operational responsibilities.
Catherine J. Webking
Partner
Spencer Fane LLP
Catherine Webking provides clients with detailed and thorough advocacy on utility-related regulatory matters involving electricity, telecommunications, water, and natural gas services. She thoroughly understands her clients’ businesses to help them navigate the regulatory landscape to maximize success. Catherine enjoys and excels at providing her clients with exceptional representation and advocacy at the Texas Legislature, agencies like Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Railroad Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M in Chemical Engineering is a pivotal asset for advocacy in the often-times complex utility markets.
With a deep understanding of utility regulatory environments, Catherine understands the challenges related to the migration to competitive services in the relevant markets. She regularly advises utility market participants on regulations and compliance, rulemaking proceedings, contract negotiations, contested cases, rate cases, enforcement actions, complaints, litigation, and appeals. Her clients include competitive retail electric providers (REPs), renewable and fossilfueled generators, storage, commercial and industrial customers, transmission and distribution providers, cooperatives, water utilities, competitive telecommunications providers, real estate developers, and property owners.
Catherine combines technical and business approaches to recognize and resolve regulatory impediments and realize opportunities for those clients. Chambers USA recently described her work as, “much admired by her peers for her expertise in electricity and gas matters such as transmission and rate-setting work. One impressed client praised her ability to ‘see how issues taken in one proceeding might affect future efforts on another front.’”
Brian Weeks, P.E.
Senior Director, R&D Business Development
GTI Energy
Brian Weeks is the Senior Director, R&D Business Development for GTI Energy. GTI is an independent, not-for-profit research and development institute that has been bringing innovative technology to the energy industry for 80 years.
In his current position, Mr. Weeks leads the creation of large-scale technology demonstration and validation programs for public-private partnerships, primarily with the U.S. DOE and GTI Energy’s many industry clients. These programs address advanced fuel and delivery infrastructure systems for hydrogen, natural gas, and renewables. A recent key role was his leadership in organizing the Gulf Coast clean regional hydrogen hub (HyVelocity) where he continues to lead stakeholder outreach initiatives. Mr. Weeks also serves on the Board of the Clean Hydrogen Future Coalition and as an advisor to the Texas Hydrogen Alliance. He was also appointed to the Texas Railroad Commission’s Hydrogen Advisory Council. He is a sought-after advisor on technical, market, and regulatory issues surrounding the introduction of emerging energy technologies – especially those involving hydrogen, in which he has over 25 years of experience.
Mr. Weeks is a graduate of Vanderbilt University where he received his undergraduate engineering degree. He also has an MBA and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.
Dena E. Wiggins
President and CEO
Natural Gas Supply Association
As NGSA’s President and CEO, Dena Wiggins leads efforts to advance the natural gas industry’s economic and environmental agenda with NGSA member companies, regulators, legislators and other key stakeholders. She manages daily operations of NGSA and is responsible for member relations, media engagement, advocacy and government affairs activities.
Dena has spent much of her professional career engaged in representing producer/marketers before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. She has testified before FERC on policy matters pending before the Commission and has been involved in every major natural gas rulemaking since Order No. 436. She frequently speaks with key Hill and White House staff, NARUC and other policymakers on the importance and benefits of natural gas use, supply and competitive markets. She has led hundreds of discussions on natural gas priority issues at conferences and is regularly quoted as an industry expert in the media, including Reuters, S&P Global, the Houston Chronicle, Politico, Natural Gas Intelligence and RTO Insider.
Dena is deeply involved in the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), particularly the Committee on Gas, where she has advocated for the benefits of natural gas in a lower carbon energy future. She represents NGSA at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and chairs the CFTC’s Energy and Environmental Matters Advisory Committee (EEMAC), which plans to explore the relationship between infrastructure constraints and natural gas markets.
Dena currently serves on the Board of the National Association of Manufacturer’s Council of Manufacturing Associations and on the Board of the British-American Business Association. In addition, she serves on the Advisory Council of New Mexico State University’s Center for Public Utilities and is a member of the Council Group of the American Bar Association’s Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section. She also serves on the Board of The Washington Ballet.
Previous to NGSA, she was a partner in the law firm of Ballard Spahr and served as General Counsel to the Process Gas Consumers Group. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Richmond and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.
Cheri M. Yochelson
Assistant General Counsel, Federal Regulatory
Dominion Energy Services
Cheri joined Dominion Energy in 2012 after working a decade at FERC in the Office of Enforcement (formerly known as the Office of Market Oversight and Investigations). Her practice focuses on federal energy regulatory and compliance work on the electric side before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
CLE:
This program is eligible for 10 hours of CLE credit in 60-minute states, and 12 hours of CLE credit, in 50-minute states. Credit hours are estimated and are subject to each state’s approval and credit rounding rules.
To Receive CLE Credit:
If you have met the participation requirements, you will receive a personalized CLE affidavit from mcle-eba@americanbar.org for the program at which you attended at least one session to completion. Please check your spam or junk folders as these emails often end up there. Please note you will fill out one affidavit for the full event. Once you complete the affidavit, you will be able to download your certificate(s) of attendance and they will be emailed to you as well from mcle-eba@americanbar.org.
Scholarships:
EBA offers eligible student, government, and academic members discounts on the rates for most EBA programs which carry CLE credits, including EBA's Annual and Mid-Year Meetings. EBA will, on a case-by-case basis, consider requests from members to attend EBA programs at a discounted rate. Discount requests must be made to EBA's office at least fifteen days prior to the close of regular registration for the program in question. Requests will be considered by EBA if timely and complete. Discount requests must demonstrate a substantial financial hardship. Please submit your requests to jhannan@eba-net.org.